


A farewell

by Joxmarf



Series: Tumblr requests [1]
Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Bittersweet, But in a super fast way bc im lazy, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, F/M, do u ever think about how love isnt enough to make a relationship work, if u already read this on tumblr... I love u, well that’s what i wsnted to explore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2020-11-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:49:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27605860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joxmarf/pseuds/Joxmarf
Summary: Link and Zelda say goodbye to each other.
Relationships: Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Zelink - Relationship
Series: Tumblr requests [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2018281
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20





	A farewell

Winter was starting to set in. 

The night was quiet, its silence only interrupted by the hum of the waves. Foam stroked the shore gently and retreated back to the ocean, carrying the dim blue specks of bioluminescence. 

The firmament was dotted with stars, which were arranged in constellations. They bore the names of the old Goddesses, ones that had only been pronounced in the past with respect. Zelda wondered if she was one of the few that believed in them still. 

She shivered, letting the icy breeze rumple her hair. There was freedom in being forgotten, and she feared it.

Link sat next to her. He looked tranquil, his gaze matching the ocean’s hue. Zelda spared him a glance, heart hammering loudly against her chest. He wasn’t the boy she had waited for a century, she knew that. Yet, when looking at him, she hoped for that spark of recognition.

“ _ You never look at me, you’re always looking beyond me,” _ he had told her once, heartbreak in his voice. Zelda had promised never to do so again, but her scrutinous eyes always betrayed her. 

“Would you like to hear a silly anecdote?” she smiled, drifting her gaze to the rumbing sea. 

Link nodded. He seldom spoke about the past, but Zelda did so often. She found it more comfortable, more familiar. Hyrule had morphed into something she barely recognised. In a way, it was unknown, just as the past was for Link. 

“So, there was this unconventional knight with a very peculiar idea about what ‘saving’ meant—”

“Saving as in rescuing a princess?” Link gave her a small smile, and she rolled her eyes.

“No, saving _ money _ ,” Zelda said. “Moving on, one day he got 300 rupees. A single golden rupee, mind you.” 

“Oh Goddess,” Link said, feigning astonishment. “That’s too much!” 

“Enough for him to get preoccupied,” Zelda said. “‘What will I do with so much wealth?’ he said, ‘What if it gets stolen?’” 

Link nodded as if the worries were rational. In possession of a large sum, it would be, but then again, we’re talking about an individual gold rupee.

“So then, his brilliant mind came up with a plan: he decided to put the gold rupee in a chest and hide it in the most recondite bay of Hyrule,” Zelda lips curled into a smile, getting lost in the memory, “He travelled from Castle Town to Hateno. Only a lunatic would do that!”

“Hey, at least he didn’t have to pay interest.”

Zelda scoffed, “He said the same thing.”

“It did get stolen, though,” Link said.

“It did?”

“I don’t know if it counts as robbing,” Link hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. “I  _ did  _ hide the money, so technically I just got it back.”

Zelda hugged her knees. 

“What an ironic end to the story,” she sighed. A century prior, she had jokingly told Link he would forget where he’d put the chest. Fate, ever so cruel, had made her prediction true.

Zelda dug her hands into the sand, which pricked her skin pleasingly. She averted her gaze from Link’s, facing towards the sea. The waves were tempestuous, but they always came to the shore with a docile murmur. 

“Are you okay?” Link asked. 

“Yes, it’s just—” Zelda paused, struggling to find the right words, “We lost  _ so much time _ . We have to make up for it.”

Link nodded solemnly. Zelda urged herself to change the subject.

“According to Bolson, the reconstruction of Castle Town is nearly ready. I’ve decided we go in two days,” Link shot her a surprised glance. Zelda waved her hand dismissively. “Don’t look at me like that. I know it’s difficult to— to visit old ghosts, but I’ll manage. After all, I’m to be Queen.”

Zelda stopped, allowing the weight of her words sink in. She had chosen to claim the crown. As her father had said, she was the heir to a throne of nothing, but she was determined to make it something. 

She didn’t know if she would succeed, but she hoped her determination would be enough. It  _ had _ to be enough. All in all, it was what had kept Calamity Ganon at bay for a century. 

She chewed her lip, regretful to have omitted the news to Link until now. It was a decision taken at the spur of the moment, and while they were a team, he had told her several times he trusted her judgement. With the Sheikah Slate, travelling wasn’t an issue, so she hoped he wouldn’t mind if she'd taken the decision without him. 

“Zelda,” Link said, interrupting her string of thoughts. She sat up, squinting her eyes to look at him in the darkness. 

“What?” she asked, apprehension tainting her voice.

Link took a shaky breath. After a moment, he looked at her sadly, a woeful smile tugging his lips. 

“You’ll make a good queen.”

Zelda frowned. He had spoken as if saying something undeniable. She looked at him, searching in his expression the truth underneath his words. Her face fell as she understood. 

Link spoke as if he wouldn’t be there to see it, as if he would abandon her. 

“Oh— thank you,” Zelda said, her prior cheerfulness drained from her voice.

For minutes, both said nothing. Zelda wondered if neither spoke because there was nothing to say, but she concluded they weren’t ready to say what they had to. 

She wouldn’t let that happen, though. They couldn’t part ways without opening their hearts to each other, even if only a little. 

“How do you learn to let go?” she asked. 

“I haven’t, not yet.” 

“It must be easier for you,” she mused, looking up at the sky. 

Long ago, Link had lost his memories. They had never come back, they probably never would. She had been a silly girl for thinking her patience would be rewarded, for think that eventually, she would have  _ him _ back.

“I’m sorry,” Link said automatically, “I didn’t—“

Zelda turned to him, forcing a smile. She was glad the darkness hid her tears.

“Don’t apologise; it’s not like—“

“I should go with you,” Link said.

Zelda’s lips trembled. Would it be selfish to say yes? She wanted him with her. Goddess, if he left, solitude would consume her, she was sure of it. 

She needed him in her life. She needed his kind eyes and his contemplative silence, his loyalty and his pure heart, but most of all, she needed a _ friend _ . 

“Only if you want to,” she said. 

“I--” his voice quivered. 

“I don’t.”

“You don’t own me anything,” Zelda replied, “It’s not your job to take care of me.”

An uncomfortable silence followed.

“It’s not, even if  _ everyone  _ made you feel like it was.”

“I wanted to take care of you,” Link said, voice muffled, “I wanted to make you happy.”

“It’s not your responsibility,” Zelda said, though a shameful part of her wished it were.

Link nodded weakly.

“I’m sorry I’m the only one left from… before.” 

Zelda fished for his hand, holding it tightly. They stared at each other, his eyes widened and hers filled with grief. 

“You are not him,” her voice cracked, but she forced the words to come out. She needed him to know this. “It’s not your fault you aren’t.”

She forced her voice to be solemn. Link gave her an afflicted smile. 

“The moon’s beautiful tonight,” Link said. He was right. The pale moon shone, guiding the lulls of the waves and illuminating the landscape with a silver hue.

“Yeah,”

“Will you be happy?” Link took her hand and grasped it firmly, as he always did. “As queen, I mean.”

“Happiness is not my priority,” she replied.

“Nor mine. I still manage to find it.”

“ _ How?”  _ she asked, incredulously.  _ “ _ What if it goes away? _ ”  _

“I keep on living, so I can eventually find those moments.”

Zelda scoffed. That was a simple, unsatisfying answer. Yet, it was perhaps what she needed. 

“That’s shitty.”

“Everything is a little shitty,” Link said, shrugging. “That’s life.”

Zelda nodded. She was convinced perfect happiness wasn’t something achievable. However, there were instances in which she felt something close to joy.

She would hold to those. 

“Do you think we were really destined to meet each other?” she asked, half-jokingly.

Link pursed his lips, thoughtful. 

“Maybe? I met you and you’re important to me; I don’t care about the rest.”

Zelda nodded. 

“I’m glad I met you,” she said. 

Their relationship  _ would _ change, but… it would always be something cherished, something they both could look back to with fondness. 

“Me too,” Link smiled at her, still holding her hand.

There are people you’re bound to meet, but they’re never meant to be in one’s life permanently. 

“I’m glad I loved you.”

Zelda had never thought Link would be one of those. 

“Me too.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
